Stkaw-cutteb



UNITED STATES PATENT orTroE.

JONATHAN SULLIVAN, OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

STRAW-CU'ITER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 6,838, dated October 30, 1849.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN SULLIVAN, of the county of Davidson andState of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Machine forCutting Straw, Hay, Fodder, and other Like Material for the Food ofStock; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,andexact description of the construction and operation of the same,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1, is a perspective side view; Fig. 2, alongitudinal elevation; Fig. 3, an end view front; Fig. 4, arepresentation of the interior grooved metallic plate.

A, A, Fig. 1, is a side view of the frame upon which the machine isplaced, 3 ft. 2 in. wide, 4 ft. long, and 2 ft. 10 in. high, made oftimbers 4 inches wide by 2% inches thick, put together in the usualmanner with mortise and tenon. B, B, supports on which the roller C, 3inches in diameter and 3 ft. 2 ins. long revolves. These supports aremade movable by bolts and screws, as at c, a, Fig. 2, for the purpose oftightening the apron D, Fig. 1. E, Fig. 2, a roller of similar lengthand size, supported by the blocks 6, e, which blocks also support thesquare piece F, designed to regulate the feeding of the machine. Theseblocks are firmly attached to the frame. h, Figs. 1, 2, 3, is a smallcog-wheel, placed on the axle that passes through, and gives motion tothe series of indented plates H, Fig. 2. On the same end of this axle isalso fixed the iron crank L, designed to give motion to the machine. M,Figs. 1, 2, 3, is another and larger cog-wheel gearing into the wheel h,from which it receives and communicates motion to the circular knives 0,Figs. 1, 2, 3. m, m, metal bearings, Fig. 2, which support the ends ofthe axle n, upon which the circular knives are placed. These bearingsare attached to the upright posts by means of slots and screws, &c., toregulate the dept-h to which the knives enter into the grooves betweenthe indented rings shown at H, Fig. 2. The axle 01., upon which theknives are placed, is elevated at about an angle of 45 above and forwardof the axle supporting the indented rings. 0, Figs. 1,

and 2, is the pulley on the farther end of the roller E, Fig. 2., thatreceives motion by means of a belt from the small pulley p, Fig. 2, and3, placed on the opposite end of the axle to which the crank is attachedand communicates the same to the feeding apron D, upon which thematerial to be cut is placed. P, Figs. 1 and 3, is a sloping plank fiooror chute upon which the feed falls, and is thereby conducted to thefrontend of the machine. T, Fig. 3, is the board to the interior side ofwhich the grooved metal plate Fig. 4, designed to rub the feed afterbeing cut, is attached.

The principle of this invention consists in using a series of circularknives or saws, arranged on an axle, as described above. These knivesmay vary in size in different machines, from 3 to a greater number ofinches in diameter. They are placed on the axleby means of holes throughthe center of each, and at such distance apart as will cut the straw orother material of the required lengthsay an inch more or less. On theaxle, between the knives, are placed circular plates of wood or othersubstance, which are intended by filling up the space bet-ween theknives to keep them firmly in position, their diameter being in allcases so much less than that of the knives, as to allow a projection ofthe knives beyond their verge to any required distance. Upon a secondaxle placed parallel to the first, just described, and being of the samelength, is fixed another series of rings or plates, in diameter aboutequal to the knives, and made of cast iron or other suitable material,and arranged at a distance apart, corresponding to that of the knives onthe opposite parallel axle, that is, so far apart as to allow the knivesto work freely between them. These plates have small indentations on theverge, for a two-fold purpose, to carry forward the material to be cut,from the delivery of the feeding apron to the knives, and afterwards tobreak and rub the feed out against a grooved metallic plate, placedbelow the knives, and nearly in contact before the series of indentedplates.

The operation of this invention is by a revolution of the parallel axlesin opposite directions, but with different velocities, the

motion being so regulated by cog-Wheels, as to allow a greater velocityto the series of The operation of cutting and comminuting' strawsubstantially as herein described indented circular plates, which, byadding and represented.

friction to pressure, thus brings the cutting 5 principle more fullyinto action.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by letters patent, is

JONATHAN SULLIVAN. Witnesses:

P. K. ROUNsAVILLE, GHs. F. FISHER.

